The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1887-10-08
A Vagabond's Luck.
BY NJ. E. HoLAHAN,

A slender, dark thing-the embryo Of
beauty some day perhaps.
Even as she was the apple of her genial
hearty old fathers eye, so was Rick Wood
the especial thorn in the flesh of her Ian.
guild, genteel mother.
''She is so much like her father" sadly
complained that lady. '1f only shescould
have been like my people as Rue is now, ]
might get on with two daughters Rue /:
not only exquisitely beautiful, but dainty
refined, cultured, and very foil to offset
Richmond's boisterous Modernism and lev
ity.
The younger Miss Woods proper Chris
tian name was Richmond, but she scornfnl
| ly denied the stately appellatlon, and ans
wered to the more suitable pet name hel
father had given her long ago
"Rue is all she should be-" her mother
was wont TO say proudly. son my side she
has some of the bluest blood in Virginia
in her veins, and shows it. But Rich
mond-''
Before the very thought of that trouble,
some young idea words failed the lady
mother, and her sore disappointment was
shown in a slow, disappearing, graceful
movement OF her puffed and coiled head,
accompanied by a languid sigh.
In speaking of Rue's advantages, she
failed to mention that they had been wou
by neglect and abuse of the younger child's
opportunities.
Naturally wild, free, adventurous, but
tender and affectionate, Rick had been left
to bring herself up alter her own fashion
and the fashion of her father, while hel
mother and beautiful sister were glad to gel
her off their hands at any price.
She gained sort of wild, gypsy-like wis.
dom, and. quaint, outlandish knowledge
@at girls of her age never possess, or rare.
ly. AS all the widest pranks imaginable
were often traced to the hoiden's door, and
all the careless slang of the age on her lips
1t was not long before the younger daugh.
ter of the fastidious blue-blooded Mrs
Wood became known as ''Vagabond Rick. u
The girl of sixteen rather enjoyed it.
Captain Wood was commander of the
American steamer Sea Gull, plying between
Boston and eastern cities. Genial, hale,
bluff, and honest, he was man to be liked
and respected.
Long years before, when on his first trip
and while was young and foolish, he had
fallen in love with young virginian beau
ty, and subsequently married her, much to
his own later CONSERVATION and dismay.
For she was no more fitted to be his wife
than he was 10 be her husband.
Her folks, who were themselves sadly
impoverished, had meyer forgiven Elaine for
marrying beneath her; but the lack of
their benediction was the least of Captain
Woods troubles.
Ruth, the frst-born, had grown up frail,
beautiful, fretful little thing like her moth
er, and the captain was disappointed when
his daughter shrank from his rough en-
brace or hearty smack even as her mother
did.
Then, when Rue was FIVE years old--a
dainty, blonde doll-another daughter
came, and this time one after the captains
own heart.
After his rude yet tender training and
theswill cf her own passionately throbbing,
willful heart, she grew up wild, lawless,
shockingly frank and full of emotion, whose
only outlet was an idolatrous loYe for her
father, and pride IN her mother and sister
as ii they were composed of different
clay.
The money to educate her was supplied
by an eccentric old aunt of the captains.
Miss Kent lived in New York, was very
wealthy, very eccentric, and Rick's god
mother, for whom she had been named.
All the money was spent on her mother
and Rue, while the child for whom il was
intended followed, unrestrained, her own
DEVICES.
AT Riek's earnest pleading, Captain
Wood frequently took her with him on his
voyages on the ocean, and she displayed
wonderful powers and knowledge of sea
faring that eternally endeared her TO the
hearts Of the rude old sailors. s
On these occasions only Was she permit.
ed 70 visit Boston, where Rue was. attend